Poppet valve locomotive



J lie M, 1946- WRCHH'OF i 2,401,16

POPPET VALVE LOCOMOTIVE Filed Feb. l5,. 1945 4 h ts-sheet 1 O O 0 Z OINVENTOR JUL/us K/RCHHOF ATTORNEYS June 11,1946. I V J. KIRCHHQI2,401,764

POPPET VALVE LOCOMOTIVE Filed Feb. 15, 1945 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORJUL/us KIRHHOF ATTQ R N EYS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 J. 'KlRCHHOF POPPET 'VALVELOCOMOTIVE Filed Fe b'. 15; 1945 INVENTOR .JULIUS K/RCHHOF June 11,1946.

June 1946? I J. l lRCHHO F 2,401,764

I POPPET VALVE LOCOMOTIVE Filed Feb. 15, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORJUL/U5 K/RCHHOF Patented June 11, 1946 POPPET VALVE LOCOMOTIVE JuliusKirchhof, Ruxton, Md., assignor 'toFranklin Railway Supply Company,Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February15, 1945, Serial No. 578,105

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to poppet valve locomotives and is particularlyconcerned with a novel poppet valve arrangement and cooperating cylinderand saddle structure, especially adapted for use in large sizelocomotive engines.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to enable employment ofrelatively small diameter poppet valves, :both for intake and exhaust,there being a plurality of valves of both types grouped in a specialarrangement in a manner to maintain the cylinder port clearance volumeat a minimum.

In poppet valve locomotive engines, especially of relatively large size,the cylinder port walls, because of their rather extended area, havebeen subject to Warpage, as a result of thermal changes, etc. Any suchwarpage is likely to be reflectedin distortion of the valve seats andthe detrimental effect of such distortion is, in general, more seriouswith large diameter poppet valves than with small diameter valves. Theemployment of multiple small diameter valves, according to theinvention, is therefore of advantage in overcoming difficulties due tovalve seat distortion.

According to a further feature of the invention, the valve arrangementfor each end of each cylinder is so laid out that all the valves foradmission and exhaust may be made of one size and one pattern. By usingtwo identical admission valves and three identical exhaust valves, and

disposing them in the relationship hereinafter set forth, the total flowarea most desirable for admission and the total flow area most desirablefor exhaust, is secured.

Beyond the foregoing the invention contemplates employment of speciallyarranged webbing interbracing the cylinder port walls in a manner toreduce wall warpage, and to strengthen the port walls against the steampressure. The relative disposition of the webbin and of the multipleintake and multiple exhaust valve apertures in the cylinder port Wallsfurther contributes to reduction in warpage and the consequent undesiredvalve seat distortion.

Still further, according to the invention, specially arranged webbing isprovided between one of the cylinder port walls and another spaced wallserving to define a live steam chest at one side of the port; the othercylinder port wall being interbraced with another spaced wall serving todefine the exhaust steam passage at the other side of the cylinder port.All of the bracing and interbracing webbings for the port walls arerelatively arranged to contribute maximum interbracing effect, as willfurther appear.

According to still another feature of the invention, various of theinterbracing webbings are also so disposed as to serve the furtherfunction of steam flow baffles or guides preventing choking of one valveby steam flow to or from another valve or valves.

How the foregoing, together with other objects and advantages, areattained will appear more fully from the following description referringto the accompanying drawings in Which- Figure 1 is a front elevationalview of the right-hand cylinder and a portion of the associated saddlestructure of a 2-cylinder locomotive engine embodying features of theinvention, with the valve assemblies and cylinder head removed;

Figure 2 is a longitudinalsubstantially vertical sectional view taken asindicated by the irregular section line 2-2 on Figure 1,'thisview showinin section certain of the parts of the outermost intake andexhaustvalves and the coopcrating poppet valve actuating mechanism inelevation;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through thecylinder and'saddle structure as indicated by the section line 3-3 onFigure 2, but showing the valve actuating mechanism in elevation;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through the live steamchest substantially as indicated by the section line 44 on Figure 2, butomitting the valve assemblies;

Figure 5 isa transverse sectional view taken through the cylinder portas indicated by the section line 5-5 cn.Figure 2, this view alsoomitting the valve assemblies; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View taken through the exhaust steampassage, as indicated by-the section line 5-6 on Figure 2.

The cylinder and saddle structure may appropriately be cast, for examplein two halves for a 2-cylinder engine as here shown, one such half beingindicated generally in the drawings by the reference character 1. Thecasting is adapted to be supported on portions of the main framemembers, one of which appears at 8. Toward its upper central portion,the casting is provided with pads such as indicated at 9 to cooperatewith the smokebox shell H) of the locomotive, into which the exhauststeam from the cylinders is delivered, as will further appear.

Live steam from the boiler is supplied through the steam pipe I I (seeFigure 3) having branches 3 extended fore and aft, one being shown at12. The branches l2 extend to the steam chests l3l3 adjacent the headand rear end of the cylinder I4. Since the steam passages and valves atthe two ends of the cylinder are counterparts of each other only oneneed be described.

Steam chest I3 is in large part defined by an outer wall [3a and one ofthe cylinder port walls l5 (Figures 1, 2 and 4). The cylinder port I6 isbounded at the other side by another port walli H, the two walls l5 andI"! being in spaced sub 7 stantially parallel relation and ofadequate'area to provide room for the valve apertures. At the side ofwall I! opposite to the cylinder port; thereis another spaced parallelwall l8 cooperating.

with the port wall I! to provide anexhaust steam,

passage [9.

The pattern or arrangement of the valve apertures is best shown inFigures 1,4 and 5. As there seen, there are a pair of intake valveapertures and a group of three exhaust valve apertures 2|. the intakeand exhaust valve apertures being formed-respectively, in theport wallsl5 and I1.

Thus, the apertures 20 provide communication.

between the steam chest l3 and the cylinder port l6 and .the apertures2| provide communication between the cylinder port and the exhaust steampassage 19.

The axes of the exhaust valve apertures 2| lie in angularly spacedradial planes containing the securely fasten the cam actuating mechanismin proper position.

In describing the bracing webbing provided for the cylinder port wallsl5 and I7, attention is first directed to Figures 2 and 4 showing acentral bracing web 43 and a pair of additional webs 44-44 whicharepositioned in the steam chest l3 and interbrace the port wall IS withthe outer steam chest wall l3a. From Figure 4 it will be noted that theweb 43 lies in a substantially vertical plane intermediate-the twointake valve apertures .20-20, this plane being that in which-the.

axis of the central exhaust valve is positioned. The web 43 aids individing the flow of steam entering the steam chest and in deliveringthe steam uniformly to the two intake valves. Webs 44-44 are angled soas not to interfere with steam flow to the intake valves.

' It will be noted that thewebs .43 and 44 provide bracingfor the portwall I 5 in its upper axis of the. cylinder, the three exhaust valveapertures .being arcuately disposed about the upper portion ofthecircumference of-the cylinder. .The axes of the intake valve apertures20 are similarly arranged in angularly spaced radial planes containingthe cylinder axis, the planes of the two sets of valves preferably beingin. interleavingor alternating relationship asclearly appears from thedrawings.

Each valve aperture is provided with an appropriate'seat, such asindicated at22 and 23v in Figure 2. An appropriate intake poppet valveis shownat 24 in Figure 2, this. valve having a'stem 25 mounted in aguide 26 which guide, in turn, is received in the bore of a sleeve 21(see Figures 2 .andfil, interconnecting-the two walls I! and I8 whichdefine the -exhaust steam passage H). The head of the guide. provides aseat for the second seating edge of the double-beat valve 24. A spring28normally urges the valve 24 toward its-seat, this spring reactingagainst a cap member 28a whichis seated on ashoulder surrounding anaperture 28b,formed in the outer wall [3a ing to interbrace the two portwalls [5 and I1.

region, as well as for the wall I 3a.

Turning now to Figure 5, it will be seen that webbing 45 is arrangedaround the central exhaust valve aperture 2|, this webbing 45 servin themid-region thereof. Additional interbracing of the port walls close tothe cylinder itself is provided by a series of stays. .46. The two portwalls are thus inte-rbraced in the central region thereof and also closeto the cylinder, this being of the steam chest. .A similar intake. valveisarranged in the other intake valve aperture 20, the valve stemguidefor this valve being received in the bore provided in. the sleeve29 (see Figure 6).

One of the exhaust valves appears in Figure 2 at 3.0,. this valvehavinga stem 3| .received in the guide 32, which guide 32 is mountedin asleeve 33 (see Figures 2 and 6). The head of the guide 32 provides aseatfor the second seating edge of the double-beat valve 30. Closure spring34 normally urges the exhaust valve 30 toward its seat. Thespring 34reacts against a cap member 34a which is seated on a. shouldersurrounding an aperture 34b formed in the port wall I 5. Similar partsare provided for the other exhaust valves.

The, stems 25 and 3| of all of the valves projectinwardly forcooperation with intake and exhaust'valve tappets 35 and 36 whichproject laterally from' the valve actuating mechanism 31, whichdesirably takes the form of a cam mechanism appropriately driven intimed relation with movements of the piston 38 in the cylinder [4.

accomplished in a manner minimizing interference with the steam flow. hPattern or. arrangement of the several intake and exhaust valves,particularly the arrangement: of the sev eral valves in angularly spacedplanes containing the cylinder axis and the location of the intakevalves above andbetween the exhaust valves'is of importance in enablingdisposition of the bracing webbing in the manner above described inorder efiectively to interbrace the port walls at a number of spacedpoints throughout the area thereof. I p f I 7 From reference to Figure 6it will be seen that further bracing of the ppmwan l1 andoi the exhaustpassage wall l8, at the exhaust side is provided by webbing 41, 48 and49, the webs 41 and 48 also being connected with the: sleeves 21 and'29in which the valve stem guides for the intake valves are mounted.Additional webbing 50 projects upwardly and inwardly (as viewed inFigure 6) from the sleeve 21 over the region in which the centralexhaust'valve delivers 'to the I sleeve 29, thereby serving to avoidchoking of the right-hand exhaust valve by the steam leaving theleft-hand and central exhaust valves.

The exhaust valve passage I9. is extended in wardly and thence upwardlyas at lBa, the,pas-

sages |9l9a for each end of the cylinder being joined in a dischargepassage 52 which may deliver to the stack through an appropriate exhaustnozzle'or the like (not shown).

By the employment of a multiplicity of valves, adequate steam flowcapacity is provided in large locomotive engines, even when utilizingpoppet valves which, individually, are of relatively small diameter. Thesmall diameter of the valve apertures required in the port walls is, inturn, of importance in avoiding distortion. Moreover, distortion is verygreatly reduced by virtue of the arrangement of bracing webbing providedfor the port walls, there being webbing at both sides of each port wallwell distributed over the total area thereof. Moreover, the webbing inthe cylinder port l6 and in the exhaust passage 19 cooperates in a novelmanner to strengthen the wall I1. In this regard, it will be observedfrom Figure 5 that the inverted U-shaped webbing 45 must be opendownwardly, so that the exhaust steam can flow upwardly to the centralexhaust aperture 2|; whereas the U-shaped webbing provided by thestructure 50, 41, 48, in Figure 6, must be open upwardly so as to permitthe discharge of the exhaust steam into the passage I9. Thus, where theWall H has the least support from the one U-shaped structure it has themost support from the other.

By virtue of the nesting of the five valves in the general patternillustrated in the drawings and described above, the clearance volume ofthe cylinder port is maintained at a minimum, while at the same timeproviding unrestricted or unobstructed flow areas for the steam enteringand leaving the cylinder through the several valve apertures.

By the herein-described relative arrangement of the five valves (for oneend of the cylinder), and by the disposition of the associated port,passages and webbing, the available admission and exhaust fiow areasapproximate the most desirable areas, with the two admission valves andthree exhaust valves made identical, which has the further advantage ofsimplifying the manufacture of the valves themselves and the repair andmaintenance of the locomotive, since a single valve type can be kept instock for all of the valves.

I claim:

1. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, agroup of exhaust valve apertures in one of said walls, a group of intakevalve apertures in the other of said walls, one of said groupscomprising at least three valve apertures the axes of which lie inangularly spaced radial planes containing the cylinder axis, the axes ofthe apertures of the other group lying in angularly spaced radial planesintermediate said first planes and alternating therewith, and Webbinginterbracing the spaced cylinder port walls and lying at least in partsubstantially in the said intermediate radial planes.

2. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppettype steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, agroup of exhaust valve apertures in one of said walls, a group of intakevalve apertures in the other of said walls, one of said groupscomprising at least three valve apertures the axes of which lie inangularly spaced radial planes containing the cylinder axis, the axes ofthe apertures of the other group lying in angularly spaced 6 radialplanes intermediate said first planes and alternating therewith, andwebbing interbracing the spaced cylinder port walls and positionedbetween the valve .apertures of said threefold group.

3. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppettype steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, agroup of exhaust valve apertures in one of said walls, a group of intakevalve apertures in the other of said walls, one of said groupscomprising at least three valve apertures the axes of which lie inangularly spaced radial planes containing the cylinder axis, the axes ofthe apertures of the other group being offset from the valve aperturesof the first group in a direction radially .of the cylinder, and webbinginterbracing the spaced cylinder port walls between the valve aperturesof said threefold group.

4. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppettype steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, alive steam chest adjacent one of the port walls defined in partthereby'and by a third wall spaced from said one port wall, a group ofintake valve apertures in said one port wall, a group of exhaust valveapertures in the other port wall, one of said groups comprising at leastthree valve apertures the axes of which lie in angularly spaced radialplanes containing the cylinder axis, the axes of the apertures of theother group being offset from the valve apertures of the first group ina direction radially of the cylinder and lying in angularly spacedradial planes intermediate said first planes and alternating therewith,webbing in the cylinder port interbracing the port walls between theapertures of said threefold group, and webbing in the steam chestinterbracing said one port wall and said third wall.

5. A construction according to claim 4 in which said last webbing ispositioned to interbrace the walls defining the steam chest, at least ina plane intermediate two intake valve apertures.

6. In a-locomotive engine equipped with poppettype steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, anexhaust steam passage adjacent one of the port walls defined in partthereby and by a third wall spaced from said one port wall, a group ofexhaust valve apertures in said one port wall, a group of intake valveapertures in the other port wall, one of said groups comprising at leastthree valve apertures the axes of which lie in angularly spaced radialplanes containing the cylinder axis, the axes of the apertures of theother group being offset from the valve apertures of the first group ina direction radially of the cylinder and lying in angularly spacedradial planes intermediate said first planes and alternating therewith,webbing in the cylinder port interbracing the port walls between theapertures of said threefold group, and webbing in the exhaust steampassage interbracing said one port wall and said third wall.

'7. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, anexhaust steam passage adjacent one of the port walls defined in partthereby and by a third wall spaced from said one port wall, a group ofat least three exhaust valve apertures in said one'port wall the axes ofwhich 'lie in angularly spaced radial planes containing thecylinder-axis,- webbing in the cylinder port interbracing the port wallsbetween the exhaust valve apertures, and webbing in the exhaust steampassage interbracing said one port wall and said thirdgwall between theexhaust Valve apertures.

8. A construction according to claim 7 in which the exhaust steampassageis extended laterally away from the region of the group ofexhaust valve apertures to carry the exhaust steam to a point ofdischarge; and in which said webbing between the exhaust valve aperturesin the exhaust steam passage is positioned to direct the exhaust steamentering the passage from one exhaust valve aperture away from theregion of an adjacent exhaust valve aperture to avoid choking of thelatter aperture.

9. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steam distributingvalves, a group of five poppet valves arranged adjacent one end of acylinder and comprising threeexhaust valves and two intake valves, theaxes of the several valves lying respectivelyzinangularly' spaced radialplanes containing the-cylinder axis, at least one of the intakevalvesdying in a plane intermediate the planes of two of the exhaustvalves.

l0. A construction according to claim 9 in which the planes of theintake valves occupy intermediate positions and alternate with theplanes of the exhaustvalves.

11. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steam distributingvalves, a group of exhaust poppet Valves adjacent an end of a cylinder,a group of intake poppet valves adjacent the same end of the cylinder,one of said groups incorporating at least three poppet valves arrangedin an arcuate series circumferentially of the cylinder, and the valvesof the other group being ofiset from said arcua te series in a directionradially of the cylinder.

12. A construction according to claim 11 in 13. In a locomotiveen'gin'e' equipped with poppet-type steam distributing valves, -a groupof five poppet valves arrangedadjacent one end of a cylinder andcomprising three exhaust valves and two intake valves, all of saidvalves being 14. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steamdistributing valves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinderport definedin part by spaced wall lying generally transversethe'cylinder axis, an exhaust steam pa ss'age at one side of the port, aplurality of 'exhaust valve apertures through the port wall adjacent theexhaust steam passage, a live steam chest at the other side of thecylinder portyan intake valve aperture'in the port wall adjacent thesteam chest, the axis of the intake valve aperture lying in'a planeintermediateplanes containing the axes of a pair of exhaust valves, atubular support for an intake valve stem arranged coaxially of theintake valve aperture, said tubular support bein connected with thecylinder port wall at the exhaust side'and extending in the exhauststeam passage, and brac ing webbing for the last mentioned port wall,the webbing being disposed in the exhaust steam passage between theexhaust valve apertures 'of said pair and being connected with saidtubular support to cooperate therewith not only in bracing the adjacentport wall but also in deflecting exhaust steam entering the passage fromone exhaust valve aperture away from the region of the adjacent exhaustvalve aperture to avoid choking of the latter aperture. Y

15. In a locomotive engine equipped with poppet-type steam distributingvalves, a cylinder and chest structure having a cylinder port defined inpart by spaced walls lying generally transverse the cylinder axis, agroup of port-wall apertures 'for at least three valves with their axesarranged in side-by-side relation, and bracing webbing at each side ofone of said portwalls, the webbing at each' side being generally U-shaped and disposed to partially encircle a valve aperture whose axisoccupies an intermediate position in the group, and the U-shaped webbingat the two sides of said one port wall being disposed in substantiallyinverted 'relation,"whereby to provide: bracing of the'port wall, at oneside or the other thereof, substantially around the entire circumferenceof' the intermediate valve aperture.

' I? I JULIUS KIRCHHOF.

